An array-based c-MOS sensor device is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal. In particular, the facility is arranged for accessing a subset of multiple distributed c-MOS cells across the array and feeding by such accessed cells an algorithmic means for therein generating an overall feedback dose control signalization and/or an over-all trigger signalization.
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1. An array-based c-MOS image sensor device comprising an array of c-MOS cells that is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal,
said device being characterized in that said facility is arranged for accessing a subset of multiple distributed c-MOS cells across the array and feeding by such accessed cells an algorithmic means for therein generating an overall feedback dose control signalization and in that
said distributed c-MOS cells have additional transistor readout means for selectively feeding said algorithmic means.
7. An array-based c-MOS image sensor device comprising an array of c-MOS cells that is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal,
said device being characterized in that said facility is arranged for accessing a subset of multiple distributed c-MOS cells across the array of c-MOS cells and feeding by such accessed cells an algorithmic means for therein generating an overall sensing trigger signalization and in that
said distributed c-MOS cells have additional transistor readout means for selectively feeding said algorithmic means.
17. An array-based c-MOS image sensor device comprising an array of c-MOS cells that is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal,
said device being characterized in that said facility is arranged for accessing a subset of multiple distributed c-MOS cells across the array of c-MOS cells and feeding by such accessed cell an algorithmic means for therein generating an overall sensing trigger signalization and in that
said distributed c-MOS cells each have a read-out transistor with a control electrode that is adjacent to two different control conductors which are arranged for selective hardwired interconnection to said control electrode for thereby creating two different groups of cooperating cells from said distributed c-MOS cells.
14. An array-based c-MOS image sensor device comprising an array of c-MOS cells that is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal,
said device being characterized in that said facility is arranged for accessing a subset of multiple distributed c-MOS cells across the array of c-MOS cells and feeding by such accessed cell an algorithmic means for therein generating an overall feedback dose control signalization and in that
said distributed c-MOS cells each have a read-out transistor with a control electrode that is adjacent to two different control conductors which are arranged for selective hardwired interconnection to said control electrode for thereby creating two different groups of cooperating cells from said distributed c-MOS cells.
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The invention relates to an array-based C-MOS sensor device that is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal as being recited in the preamble of Claim 1. It is to be noted that in this application C-MOS sensor means that the sensor is based on CMOS (=Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology or on NMOS technology or on PMOS technology. In CMOS technology both NMOS and PMOS technology is used.
Such sensors have been in use for imaging transmission patterns from ionizing radiation, that without limitation are used in medical diagnostics. Dosage determination is essential, because applying too little radiation will result in unclear and/or faulty images produced. On the other hand, extending the time of irradiating too much can have a negative influence on the health of a subject that is irradiated, or other unwanted effects.
Prior art, in particular U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,049 to Fossum uses a plurality of specific edge detector elements in C-MOS technology to activate the pixel array for so producing a self-triggered X-ray sensor. In contradistinction, the present inventors have recognized that with presently advanced technology it would be feasible to distribute the detector cells across the array without negatively influencing the operation of the overall array. For one, generally in medical applications the effective cell pitch can be relatively much larger than would be actually attainable through state-of-the-art technology. Larger cells allow to assign to certain selected cells inside the array a specific readout facility for control purposes, such as represented by an extra transistor and/or additional wiring.
On the other hand, the present inventors have recognized that non-destructive read-out of the whole of a multi-cell array requires much time and complicated access operations. Therefore, readout out of a relatively small subset of the overall array would allow to produce a fast, simple and low-energy means for signaling actual exposure of the array.
In consequence, amongst other things, it is an object of the present invention to simplify and speed up the readout, whilst on the other hand allowing to ensure the correctness of the measurement as much as possible through engineering a quasi-uniformly distributed readout facility.
Now therefore, according to one of its aspects, the invention is characterized according to the characterizing part of Claim 1. The algorithm can be relatively simple, such as an overall averaging. On the other hand, certain cells of the subset can get different weights, depending on the object that will be irradiated. Typical applications would run from dental to mammography, and from pre-operative irradiation of a single person to radiation screening of a mass-population. Especially the latter usage would require extremely tight radiation-dose control, and upon reaching prescribed dose, the irradiation could be immediately terminated.
Another closely related aspect of the invention is characterized according to the characterizing part of Claim 2. The start of the integration should be synchronous with the start of the irradiation, and the trigger signal can be used for global reset of the cells so that charge accumulation can start immediately.
Advantageously, the present invention can use the same pixel output for both control and measurement signals, thereby simplifying peripheral electronics.
Advantageously, the algorithmic means are programmable, such as through determining a scale factor based on the weight, age, or other characteristics of the subject to be irradiated. Various distributed arrangements for the signalizing cells are feasible.
Advantageously, the subset of cells is uniformly tessellated across substantially the whole of said array. This renders the representation of actual irradiation substantially uniform. The tessellation can be rectangular or even restrict to a subset of driver lines of said array, with cells within the tessellation being column-wise staggered among successive such driver lines. This necessitates only an extremely low number access operations.
Advantageously, the distributed C-MOS cells each have a read-out transistor with a control electrode that is adjacent to two different control conductors which are arranged for selective hardwired interconnection to said control electrode for thereby creating two different groups of cooperating cells from said distributed C-MOS cells. Peripheral on-chip drivers could in this manner produce two different subsets, such as one to effectively start the integration, and the other to terminate the irradiation. Further advantageous aspects of the invention are recited in dependent Claims.
These and further features, aspects and advantages of the invention will be discussed more in detail hereinafter with reference to the disclosure of preferred embodiments of the invention, and in particular with reference to the appended Figures that illustrate:
Now, the operation is started by a start command on control terminal 20. At this instant, a reset command will be given to measuring CMOS array 28 and to the combining or arithmetic means 30. Furthermore, the irradiation of object 26 will commence, and the irradiation will lead to charge accumulation in the cells of CMOS array 28. A subset of multiple distributed C-MOS cells across the array are targeted for contributing to the dose measurement. This contributing is effected by repeated non-destructive readout thereof to arithmetic means 30. The readout of array 28 is effected in relatively brief intervals wherein the irradiation can be paused if necessary. If necessary, a certain calibration factor can be applied for converting the reading acquired to an actual dose figure. The optimum dose can be found from the data read-out. For example, the readout subset of cells may exhibit a sufficient amount of image contrast. The necessary dose can be a function of the irradiated subject, such as being dependent on the body weight. In other situations, the average absolute dose would be determinative.
Now, if the right dose has been attained, a termination signal will appear on line 34. On the one hand, this will signal irradiation facility 22 to stop more or less immediately. On the other hand, this will signal evaluation device 32 to read out all CMOS for outputting the measured transmission image on line 36 for further usage. Generally, this will take appreciably more time than the reading of only the subset of cells.
As a different application of the above, the dose signal can be used as a trigger signal to activate the array as a whole for integrating the radiation dose received. To this effect, the feedback will reset all cells to zero, which can be effected in a very brief interval. The measuring of only a few cells for producing the trigger signal will nevertheless result in fast operation. Here, the intended dose should of course have a very low value.
Now, the advantage of such (quasi-)uniform distribution is that the outcome is largely independent of shifts in the position of the object. The device has an array of vertical drivers 50 that each will drive all cells of a line. For column read out 52, in this embodiment only each fifth cell is used for measuring, which will need specific addressing. This means that in this embodiment, accessing is only necessary for one fifth of all lines, which can be effected in a sequence that proceeds from top to bottom in the array. In consequence, the embodiment allows to speed up the read-out process by a factor of about five for generating only the dose and/or trigger signals.
According to the invention, multiple options exist for trigger or dose control. Finally, there will always be some kind of algorithm that compares the sense information with some kind of set-point.
For a prototype for a dental product, it was found that the maximum statistical deviation from the average was about 2% for various different images under consideration. It was considered that such one-digit percentage variation was perfectly allowable. Furthermore, an important feature of the invention is that full-frame image information can become available at line speeds. Higher dose sensing resolution can be achieved through multiple line reads in the proposed approach.
Now, the present invention has hereabove been disclosed with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications and changes may be made thereto without exceeding the scope of the appended Claims. In consequence, the embodiments should be considered as being illustrative, and no restriction should be construed from those embodiments, other than as have been recited in the Claims.
Korthout, Alouisius Wilhelmus Marinus, de Haan, Willem Johan, Mierop, Adrianus Johannes
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